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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 23, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 52734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21536]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Underwater Locating Devices (Acoustic) (Self-Powered)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of the planned revocation of the Technical Standard 
Order (TSO) authorizations (TSOA) for TSO-C121 and C121a, Underwater 
Locating Devices (ULD), and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the planned revocation of all Technical 
Standard Order authorizations (TSOA) issued for the production of 
Underwater Locating Devices (Acoustic) (Self-Powered) manufactured to 
the TSO-C121 and TSO-C121a specifications. These actions are necessary 
because the planned issuance of TSO-C121b, Underwater Locating Devices 
(Acoustic) (Self-Powered), with a minimum performance standard (MPS) 
that will increase the minimum operating life of Underwater Locating 
Devices from 30 days to 90 days.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 21, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gregory Borsari, AIR-130, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 470 L'Enfant Plaza, Suite 4102, Washington, DC 
20024. Telephone (202) 385-4578, fax (202) 385-4651, e-mail to: 
gregory.borsari@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    You are invited to comment on the revocation of the TSOAs granted 
for TSO-C121 and C121a, by submitting written data, views, or arguments 
to the above address. Comments received may be examined, both before 
and after the closing date, at the above address, weekdays except 
federal holidays, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The Director, 
Aircraft Certification Service, will consider all comments received on 
or before the closing date.

Background

    On May 31, 2009, an Airbus A330-203 operated by Air France as 
flight number 447 (AF 447), bound for the Charles de Gaulle Airport, 
Paris, France, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean 2 hours and 10 minutes 
after taking off from Rio de Janeiro's, Gale[atilde]o Airport. Search 
and rescue operations were conducted by the French and Brazilian 
authorities but the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder 
were not recovered until April 2011 during a fourth search and recovery 
effort.
    The Bureau d'Enqu[ecirc]tes et d'Analyses pour la 
S[eacute]curit[eacute] de L'aviation Civile (BEA), which is the 
authority responsible for the investigation of the AF 447 accident, 
released a second interim report, dated December 17, 2009. The report 
includes safety recommendations to the European Aviation Safety Agency 
(EASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), one of 
which is to ``extend as rapidly as possible to 90 days the regulatory 
transmission time for underwater locator beacons installed on flight 
recorders on airplanes performing public transport flights over 
maritime areas.'' The FAA agrees with the BEA's recommendation, and via 
a letter dated January 28, 2010, requested that SAE International form 
an industry working group to revise the minimum performance standard 
(MPS), AS8045, Underwater Locating Devices (Acoustic) (Self-Powered), 
to increase the minimum operating life of Underwater Locating Devices 
(Acoustic) (Self-Powered), from 30 days to 90 days. SAE International 
published AS8045A, dated August 3, 2011. The FAA will revise TSO-C121a 
to invoke the new SAE standard. When TSO-C121b is published the FAA 
will withdraw TSO-C121 and TSO-C121a authorizations no later than March 
1, 2014. All Underwater Locating Devices (Acoustic) (Self-Powered) 
equipment manufacturers seeking TSO authorization will need to obtain 
authorization to manufacture in accordance with TSO-C121b.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2011.
Susan J.M. Cabler,
Assistant Manager, Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-21536 Filed 8-22-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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